East Sydney's sweetest new cafe - Flour and Stone

East Sydney has a hot new cafe called Flour and Stone on Riley Street. Specialising a tasty baking treats and excellent coffee this cafe is a welcome addition to the area. In the past you could find more homeless people on these streets than cafe goers. However like much of the inner city its is slowly becoming more gentrified. So stop in to this cafe and try the apple tart, muffins or carrot cake.

Durga Puja - A festival of colour

Durga Puja has just finished in Kolkata and was an amazing riot of colour and sound. The festival worships Durga every year in one of the most spectacular events of the year. Months of work are required to complete increasingly elaborate idols representing Durga. Each community places these idols in temporary houses called Pandals or in the case of the wealthy, an idol will be placed in the house.

The festival moves beyond the worship of the goddess and is now a time to catch up with friends and family, buy new clothes, share food and gossip with friends. The city grinds to a halt and heaves with traffic and people all scrambling to see the newest and best Pandal.

At the end of the festival the idols are returned to the river in a lively emersion ceremony. 

Pandalmania at Durga Puja

Durga Puja is Kolkata's largest festival for the year. It is a celebration of the Goddess Durga but also an opportunity to get together with friends and family.

Images of Durga are made for months before being placed in elaborate pandal's. These are temporary structures made for the festival in each neighbourhood. Some are as elaborate like a castle while others more modest. Despite the heat everyone takes to the streets and strolls around to each pandal admiring the artistry and paying their respects. Those who are wealthy have an image in their home. At the end of the festival the image is given back to the River Hooghly in an elaborate ceremony on the ghats.

Saint Basil's Cathedral - Moscow.

One of the highlights for any visit to Moscow is Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow. It is easily one of the most recognisable buildings in Russia. Certainly as you walk across the Red Square, Saint Basil's can't help but catch your eye. Such a unique style of architecture and striking colours.

While not as spectacular perhaps as the outside it is fascinating to take a tour inside Saint Basil's. There are excellent audio guides to explain how each addition was made to the Cathedral. One of the highlights was listening to the choir singing.

Penguins - Simons Town - South Africa

Simons Town is a small coastal village just out of Cape Town in South Africa. The most remarkable things living in Simons Town are the colony of African Penguins. Most of us have a fascination with these beauties. Here on the beach you can see the penguins walking in and out of the water and get a close up of their lives.

For more the story and photographs on Cape Town see the ZeeGlobe website.

Santiago de Cuba Carnival

Santiago de Cuba - one of Latin America's most authentic carnival events.

Szechenyi Bath and Spa - Budapest

Szechenyi Spa Baths from ZeeGlobe on Vimeo.

Szechenyi Baths and Spa are some of the oldest in Budapest a town renowned for it's thermal waters. This complex first began on this site in Pest in 1881 and has obviously been added to and renovated since then. You can come along and enjoy the pools or have a spa treatment. One of the most popular features is to come and play chess while sitting in the pool.